Blogging through...Sharpening the Cutting Edge #3

After the bulldozer incident (Blogging through #2), John was taken to prison, under a serious threat of execution. One thing to take from that is the inspiration, of being willing to risk imprisonment and execution for our faith, for the good of others.

But it was Glena's response (John's wife) that really struck a note with me. When she was told by a reporter that her husband was in prison and could be executed she said, "Praise the Lord".

Oh, for a faith like that.

She was of course not glad that John was in danger, but she said, "he's always preached this commitment to human need and rights, and now he has the privilege of living it."

Would we respond like that?

I think we often think of what we ourselves would do if we were in danger because of our faith or standing up for others. That's one issue. I'd like to think I would not back down, that I would value the lives of others and my love of God over my own physical wellbeing. I would hope I could cling to the certainty of eternal life with God over my temporary physical life.

But what do they do in all those movies when they really try and get to someone? They go after the people they love.

What would I do when someone I love was in danger? Would I be able to say "Praise the Lord" because they have the opportunity to live out their faith, even if it means their death? And when I said "Praise the Lord" would I mean it, or would I be fall apart inside?

I don't know. I guess you can't know, until it's tested.

But if I crumble at the first sign of trouble in my life that is relatively extremely safe, I wonder how strong will I really be when the big stuff comes. (And I say when, not if.)

While I am here in my nice, safe life, I will practise my faith and build that muscle. In every situation, I will say "Praise the Lord".

Project 3:11 - No shirt, no shoes...no one cares.

No shirt, no shoes....no-one cares. As long as I've got some.

Well, I know that's not entirely true. Plenty of people care. And plenty more people probably would when confronted with it. But do we care enough to do something? Do we care enough to change the way we live our lives - even if it's is contrary to the way our society functions?

"If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry." Luke 3:11. Do we take that seriously?

When I was reading John Smith's book, Sharpening the Cutting Edge, he described an incident when a man on the run - a criminal running from other criminals - came to his house with torn up feet because he had no shoes. John gave him a pair. And not just one pair of many, but one of only two pairs of shoes John owned.

That struck a chord with me. Just a few days before, I had been looking for something and opened a cupboard I hadn't opened in a while. In that cupboard are at least 15 pairs of shoes. I got a surprise when I opened it because I had almost forgotten they were even there.

How can one person be giving away one of two pairs of shoes to someone who has none, while I have so many I can forget I even have half of them?

I don't consider myself extremely materialistic. I would normally comfort myself in the knowledge that I'm not a shop-a-holic. That there are people far worse than me. That I'm not excessive in buying clothes, by western society's standards. That I normally only get things I need.

But I was convicted. What is my definition of need? I don't have shoes to match this outfit, so I need new ones? I'm going to a wedding and can't wear the same dress as I did to the last one, so I need a new one. I've had the clothes I currently have for years and they are out of fashion, so I need new ones....

Compare that to someone who has not a single pair of shoes, so they need some. Someone who has only one outfit of clothing that is falling apart, so they need new ones. Someone who is freezing to death on the streets, and needs warm clothes.

My excuses, while valid and acceptable in my circles of friends, sound hollow and pathetic, and downright selfish in comparison.

But what do I do about it? That was my next question. It is no use feeling convicted if that leads to no action, other than an increased sensation of guilt when I next go shopping.

Am I brave enough to refuse to go on the way I have? Will I risk being unfashionable and dated, having clothes that are old, and having people notice that I wear the same things over and over?

Those reasons sound a bit silly - why does it matter? But if we admit it to ourselves, it does. Perhaps it is because of our work, and the image we present. Or our social standing. Or the way we want others to perceive us by what we wear and what we own. The way we want to view or perceive ourselves. For some reason, buying and owning things is very important to us.

What is it that drives us? And what prevents us from seeing how superficial those things are? Or if we do see it, what prevents us from acting on it?

These are the questions that just won't go away. And so I'm taking some action.

I don't know what the best long term action to take is. Consumerism, capitalism, materialism - those are monolithic ideals to grapple with outright.

But I do strongly believe, even in the face of ingrained social structures, one person can make a difference. But it can't stop with one person. It's no good me making a change, then simply going about my life pleased with myself for being so caring.

And what good is me stopping buying clothes if the only result is simply that I have less clothes, or worse - more money to spend on other equally unnecessary things.

So what I am planning is somewhat of an experiment. An investigation. A mission.

My first step is to go 12 months without buying any clothes, shoes or accessories (handbags, jewellery, scarves etc). How will I cope with that? I suspect it will feel easy until something wears out, breaks, or doesn't fit anymore. Or until I have a wedding to go to. Or until I walk into a shop and see a pretty dress. Or simply open a magazine. How will I combat these things?

The second step is to do something good with this experiment. I estimate that I currently spend around $1000 a year on clothes. I think this may be less than average, which means some probably spend less and some far more - But is the attitude and values behind the spending that I intend to focus on. I could be in danger of spending less on clothes only to spend more on something else to compensate.

So step 2a is to investigate what to do with the money I would have normally spent on myself.

Step 2b is to investigate how to better spend the money when we do buy things - eg. Finding companies that give back, such as TOMS and hello somebody. Looking at op shops and second hand clothing options. If you have suggestions, let me know.

Step 2c is to investigate how best to give away some of my more than two shirts, a la Luke 3:11. I suspect, expect and hope that this will involve more than just getting more creative with my wardrobe, but getting more creative with my attitude.

Step 3 is to look into the attitudes behind spending,accumulating and possessing. How can we realistically live in a western society and yet follow Biblical principles? Is it possible? And if it is, is it possible without a complete overhaul of society? How can everyone live their lives with social justice in mind without having to become a hippie or a radical?

Is my experiment too extreme to be realistic? Not extreme enough to effect real change?

What will be the affect on my life? What will be the outcome in my lifestyle and my attitudes?

Step 4 is to share it. Affect wider reaching change than just my own life. So I will be blogging (www.jessiecostin.com & jc&me) and vlogging as I go. Answering some of the questions I have posed above, your questions if you have any, and no doubt coming up with far more questions than I have answers. And at the end of it producing something for others to take away from, ie a book.

So follow along if you dare... I hope to do the experiment so others don't have to. So we can all then do the actions that will actually make a difference. But I also want this to be a dialogue, not just a one woman crusade.

A quick google search will reveal that going a year without buying clothes is not a unique concept. It has been done before. So if I'm going to do it, it has to be about more than just 'shopping my wardrobe' or saving money. It has to be about more than me.

If you have any questions for me to investigate, people or companies to talk to, issues to tackle, your own experiences and stories to share - let me know.

The experiment officially begins January 1, 2012 so that I am prepared and there is a plan and method rather than a fumbled knee-jerk reaction.

But my conscience has already got the better of me, and I think, I hope, that the change in my heart has already begun.

Blogging through... Sharpening the Cutting Edge #2

I don't know about you, but when I imagine defending my faith and standing up to injustice I imagine the 'other' people being those who aren't called Christians, those who believe something different to me.

I forget that a counterfeit that is labelled the real thing can be even more dangerous.

John describes an encounter in the Philippines. The mayor of a village was bulldozing villagers houses for his own building projects. John and others with him ran in front of the bulldozers and attempted to disable them. That was when a vigilante pointed a rifle at John. But it was the t-shirt that drew his attention. The man pointing the gun and supporting the bulldozing of villagers homes wore a t-shirt reading "Kill a Communist for Jesus".

These people who called themselves Christians also later used scripture to justify asking these people to turn in those who had supported their opposition of the corrupt mayor.

It should remind us that our faith is not defined by going to church or knowing Bible verses, or by calling ourselves "Christian" - it is defined by our actions, our beliefs and the love of Jesus acted out in our lives. It's about a real encounter and relationship with God - because without that we open ourselves to twisting even the words of the Bible to suit our own purposes.

And isn't that what the devil loves. A counterfeit that looks like the real thing. The boundaries between the Truth and a warped version can get so much more blurry, than if we compare our faith to someone who believes something completely different.

The truth is not just knowing the words - even the devil knows the words. The Truth is Jesus. The living Word is Jesus.

Blogging through...Sharpening the Cutting Edge #1

With a name like Sharpening the Cutting Edge you would expect John Smith to give it to us straight, and he doesn't disappoint. Which is refreshing. I even see it in myself - a tendency to get too concerned about being offensive or saying the wrong thing or being misunderstood that I dull the blade of what I really think. But sometimes things become so safe and palatable that they've lost any meaning.

And so do our lives become insular and sheltered from what is really going on.

The first thing that really got me as I read this book was the sentence: "But how many people deny themselves chocolate on the basis that a large proportion of the world's supply is produced from cocoa farmed by slaves?"

I felt sick.

I had never bothered to think about it. I can't excuse myself for lack of knowledge - I'd heard about it and the information is not hidden had I looked for it. But I had chosen not to care.

Do I need chocolate that much that I don't care if people are in slavery to produce it?

We joke about being addicted to chocolate, needing our chocolate fix... but when we really think about it, how pathetic are we, relying on a sugary luxury to the detriment of others. It's chocolate. Not water. Not medicine. Two things which many people are denied and yet we value a confectionary product and our own taste buds over those things.

We look back on the abolition of slavery in the 19th century and applaud those who stood in opposition to the status quo and stood up for human rights. We probably imagine ourselves being those people - because we are at a safe distance from those events. No one can actually call us to action on that issue. And yet most of us probably sit on our couches eating chocolate quietly ignoring the fact that slavery is still happening.

This was my first introduction to John's book. It must have shocked me so much I didn't dare pick it up for a while after that, because it was months ago that I read that sentence.

Take the quote on the back seriously when it says, "This book is dangerous in the righteous sense of the word. One simply cannot read it without feeling the ground on which one stands being shaken..." (Alan Hirsch)

So with that in mind, I read on with trepidation but excitement. I love a good ground shaking....

Blogging through "Sharpening the Cutting Edge" by John Smith

For a man with the most unassuming name possible, John Smith has certainly had one H-E-double-hockey-sticks of a life.

From the cover of his book, it introduces this fascinating and challenging man as the "founder and Executive Director of Concern Australia and the founding President of God's Squad Christian Motorcycle Club of 35 years.... He is as much at home talking to business leaders, academics, church leaders, politicians and the media, as he is with school children, university students, the poor and marginalised, and outlaw motorcycle club members."

I heard him speak at my three day chaplain's conference earlier this year. There was some controversy as a few people were perhaps offended when he shouted at as during one of his talks. But I, for one, loved it. I think we need people who are not afraid to give it to us straight; who don't care if they make us uncomfortable; who, in fact, use discomfort as a powerful tool.

But it has taken several months to actually get around to reading his book. Perhaps because I knew it was going to be challenging, so I put it off.

I'm going to blog my way through it, commenting on the things that stick out to me. I've barely got through the first two chapters and already I've felt convicted, uncomfortable, near tears, and profoundly inspired.

Get ready for a bumpy ride.